A lot of learners make mistakes with the character 是
This character often means 'to be, am, is, are' or 'it is so'.
BUT it doesn't work exactly the same as the verb 'to be' in English or other languages.
When using an adjective to describe something, or talking about a state of being, like being cold/thin, you don't use 是 on its own
我是饿 should be
我饿了 wǒ è le or
我很饿 wǒ hěn è
I am hungry
他是很胖 should be 他很胖 Tā hěn pàng
He is very fat
这件毛衣是黄色 should be
这件毛衣是黄色的
Zhè jiàn Continue Reading

吧 is a grammatical particle in Chinese that is used to make a suggestion or to soften the tone of the sentence.
It is always the last character in a sentence.
Some examples of making suggestions:
走吧 zǒu ba - let's go
吃饭吧 chīfàn ba - let's eat
休息一下吧 xiūxi yīxià ba - take a rest
便宜一点吧
piányi yīdiǎn ba
Can it be a little cheaper?
Softening the tone of a sentence or making a concession
好吧 Hǎo ba - alright then
算了吧 Suànle ba- forget it
应该是吧 Yīnggāi shì ba - I think Continue Reading

一下 literally means 'for a short time'
For example:
稍等一下
Shāo děng yīxià
Wait a moment
看一下
Kàn yīxià
Take a quick look
Another way of expressing the idea of 'politeness' is to repeat the verb and put 一 in the middle.
For example:
试一试
Shì yī shì
Give it a try
问一问吧
Wèn yī wèn ba
Just ask.
However, you will hear 一下 all the time in China in polite requests, and in colloquial speech.
麻烦帮我开一下门
Máfan bāng wǒ kāi yīxià mén
Could you help me to open the door?
In Continue Reading

The character 把 is a real headache for Chinese learners, but you will get very used to when it is/isn't used and how to use it through exposure and practice.
It doesn't have an equivalent in English, and when used as a grammar word, it doesn't have it's own meaning, however the original meaning of the character is something like 'grasp' or 'hold'
把 is used really commonly in Mandarin to emphasise the result or action that you are doing to an object, or the influence that it has.
Does Continue Reading

Chinese doesn't have tenses like European languages do.
Unlike in French, Spanish, Russian etc, verbs don't change their form depending on who is doing them, and when they are doing them.
我喜欢 – I like
你喜欢 – You like
他（她）喜欢 – He (she) likes
我们喜欢 – We like
你们喜欢 – You like (referring to more than one person)
他们喜欢 – They like
喜欢 xǐhuan is the verb and it stays the same
The Chinese character(s) that represent the verb always look the same, past, present or future.
我昨天走了
Wǒ Continue Reading

The two characters 就 and 才 can be very confusing to Chinese learners, and they are used quite often.
Let's take a look at how to use them.
In the simplest usage,
就 indicates 'earlyness' - meaning is something like 'already?' or 'this early?'
and
才 indicates 'lateness' - meaning is something like 'only just now'
你怎么现在就到了?
Nǐ zěnme xiànzài jiù lái le?
Why have you arrived now?
(you're so early, why so early)
你怎么现在才到了?
Nǐ zěnme xiànzài cái lái le?
Why have you arrived Continue Reading

The three characters 的 得 and 地 are all pronounced 'de', and they're really important in Chinese grammar.
But the difference stops there.
These characters became common in Chinese when the language became modernised from classical Chinese and more 'grammar' characters started to be used.
得 and 地 are simpler to understand, so let's talk about them first!
得 is used after verbs to give you 'a bit more information about the verb (as a complement for the verb)
For example:
你说得对
Nǐ Continue Reading

In English, you would say 'a piece of paper' or 'a kilo of apples'
The 'piece' and 'kilo' are a bit like measure words in Chinese.
In English you wouldn't say, 'a piece of phone' or 'a piece of shirt'
But in Chinese you need to use measure words like this a lot of the time.
一个苹果 Yī gè píngguǒ
A 'piece of' apple (an apple)
一头大象 Yī tóu dàxiàng
A 'piece of' elephant (an elephant)
两条鱼 Liǎng tiáo yú
Two 'pieces of' fish
You use measure words in Chinese whenever you are Continue Reading

Here are the basic question words you'll need to know in Chinese:
什么
shénme
what
哪里 哪儿
nǎlǐ/nǎr
where
哪(个)
nǎ (ge)
which
谁
shéi or shuí
who
什么时候
shénme shíhou
when
为什么
wèishénme
why
怎么
zěnme
how
多少
duōshao
how many/much
Unlike in English, 'what, who, where, which, how much' don't go at the beginning of the sentence in Chinese. They go in the same place as the thing you are asking about if the sentence was a Continue Reading

There are a few different ways to ask questions in Chinese. One of the simplest is to take a statement and make it into a question by adding the character 吗 ma to the end of the sentence.
Some examples:
你是中国人
Nǐ shì zhōngguó rén
You are Chinese
你是中国人吗？
Nǐ shì zhōngguó rén ma?
Are you Chinese?
你喜欢喝茶
Nǐ xǐhuān hē chá
You like to drink tea
你喜欢喝茶吗？
Nǐ xǐhuān hē chá ma?
Do you like to drink tea?
他是学生
Tā shì xuéshēng
He is a student
他是学生吗?
Tā shì xuésheng ma?
Is he a Continue Reading